Latest Syria News
Dagestan, in southern Russia, has a history of violence. Why does it keep happening?
Over the years, Russia's southern republic of Dagestan, located in the North Caucasus region, has been beset by extremist violence. This weekend, there was more bloodshed. Officials say five gunmen in the regional capital of Makhachkala and the city of Derbent opened fire at Orthodox...
Thousands of Iran-backed fighters offer to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel
BEIRUT (AP) — Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel if the simmering conflict escalates into a full-blown war, officials with Iran-backed factions and analysts say. ...
Italian coast guard recovers 14 more bodies of shipwreck victims off Calabria, dozens still missing
ROME (AP) — The Italian coast guard has recovered 14 more bodies from last week's shipwreck in the Ionian Sea off the southern Italian coastline, bringing to 34 the number of known victims from the sinking. Dozens are still missing and presumed dead. The bodies, recovered on...
Italian coast guard recovers 12 more bodies of shipwreck victims in the Ionian Sea
MILAN (AP) — The Italian coast guard on Thursday recovered 12 more bodies from a weekend shipwreck in the Ionian Sea off the southern Italian coastline, bringing to 20 the number of known victims from the sinking. Dozens more are missing and presumed dead. The bodies, including...
Swedish court acquits former Syrian army general accused of role in war crimes
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Swedish judge on Thursday acquitted a former Syrian army general of indiscriminate attacks on civilians in his home country more than a decade ago, saying prosecutors failed to provide evidence of his involvement in the war crimes. Brig. Gen. Mohammed...
As the number of displaced people surges, an 'Inflatable Refugee' in Barcelona sparks questions
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Hugging his knees and clad in a bright orange life vest, the giant “Inflatable Refugee” looks vulnerable as he sits alone in a sea of empty red velvet chairs. Belgian visual artists Schellekens & Peleman, who created the figure in 2015 following the refugee crisis...
Minnesota man who joined Islamic State group is sentenced to 10 years in prison
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man who once fought for the Islamic State group in Syria after becoming radicalized expressed remorse and wept in open court Thursday as he was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Abelhamid Al-Madioum, 27, cooperated with federal authorities...
Kentucky man convicted of training with Islamic State group in Syria
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky man has been convicted in federal court of leaving the U.S. to train and fight with the Islamic State group in Syria a decade ago. A jury in Bowling Green convicted Mirsad Hariz Adem Ramic, 34, of multiple counts of supporting and receiving...
7 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The governments of seven European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. In a joint statement, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic,...
At least 7 people die when a school bus plunges into a river in northwest Syria
DARKUSH, Syria (AP) — At least seven people drowned and 20 were injured, most of them children, when a school bus skidded off the road and plunged into a river in northwestern Syria on Thursday, emergency responders said. The accident happened near the town of Darkush, west of the...
